Take-off and tensioning device for strand supplies



April 18, 1944.

w. A. HEGER I 2,346,917

TAKE-OFF AND TENSIONING DEVICE FOR STRAND SUPPLIES Filed Dec. 8,.1942 2Sheets-Sheet 1 W" MW Mm! J in WAH GER BY ATTbRA/Z April 18, 1944. HEGER2,346,917

TAKE-OFF AND TENSIONING DEVICE FQR STRAND SUPPLIES Filed Dec. '8, 1942 2Sheets-Sheet 2 mam/Ton W A. H 65/? Patented Apr. 18, 1944 TAKE-OFF ANDTENSIONIN G DEVICE FOR STRAND SUPPLIES Wilhelm A. Heger, Lansdowne, Md.,assignor to Western Electric Company, Incorporated, New York, N. Y., acorporation of New York Application December 8, 1942, Serial No. 468,240

8Claims.

This invention relates to strand tensioning apparatus, and its object isto provid a new and improved device for tensioning strands withdrawnfrom a strand supply.

In machines for rolling fine wire into tinsel, the wire fed to the wireflattening rolls from a supply spool must be drawn under tension asnearly uniform as possible and without sudden changes in tension.Occasionally the supply spools used on these machines have the wireunevenly distributed along the length of the spools. Under suchconditions, if the wire withdrawn slackens, it creates a tendency forthe windings adjacent the one being withdrawn to slide from their normalposition to positions in which they overlap the wire being Withdrawn.When the wire being withdrawn tightens, the loosened windings willtighten in their new positions over the wire being withdrawn and causeirregularity in the rate of feed of the wire. Fluctuation in the rate offeed of the wire may also be caused from differences of tension on thewire between the adjacent windings when it is originally wound on thesupply spools. Either or both of the above mentioned conditions of thesupply spools often cause the wire to break. As a result, time of themachine operators is wasted and the wire on the unevenly wound spoolscannot be used with the machine and must be scrapped.

In accordance with one embodiment of the invention, a strand which is tobe rolled into tinsel is fed from a strand supply to a tinsel rollingmachine over an automatic strand tensioning device. comprising aslidable sheave over which the strand passes, an elongated roller aroundwhich the strand passes, a strand actuated tension control arm, andstrand engaging friction members.

A complete understanding of the invention may be had from the followingdescription of a specific embodiment'thereonin conjunction with theaccompanying drawings, in'which: V

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of an apparatus embodying the invention inassociation with a tinsel rolling machine with which it may be used;

Fig. 2 is a side view of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged plan view of the apparatus embodying th invention,and

Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the apparatus shown in Fig. 3.

As shown in Figs. l and 2 of the drawings, a housing 12 contains a driveand a brake for an arbor l5 supporting a supply spool l I. A

ill

talreup device l5 with a bobbin IT on which the wire i8 is wound drawsthe wire under a uniform tension from wire flattening rolls I 4-46;

A sheave 25 is slidably and rotatably mounted on a rod 26 attached to atension arm 28 which is biased in an upward direction by a spring.Movement of the tension arm 28 controls the operation of the brake onthe arbor 16, thus controlling the tension of the wire l8 by the drag ofthe supply spool H. All of the apparatus described above are of wellknown designs.

Referring to Figs. 3 and 4 of the drawings, a sheave I9 is rotatably andslidably mounted on a rod 20 attached to a bracket 2| secured to thehousing It. Adjacent to the sheave I9 is mounted an elongated roller 22on a rod 2!! attached to the bracket 2i. Discs 29-29 are loosely mountedon the end of a rod 32 also attached to the bracket 2!. The outermost ofthe discs 29-49 is pressed against the inner disc by a spring 3i, thecompression of which may be adjusted by a nut 30 threaded on the rodv32.

In the operation of the improved tension device, the wire I8 is drawnfrom the supply spool it, passes around the sheave l9, under the roller22 and then upwardly and around the sheave 25. From the sheave 25 thewire l8 passes between the discs 29-29 to the wire flattening rolls il-I l and then is wound by the takeup device l5 upon the bobbin I'l.

Since the wire I8 is wound on the supply spool H in layers, the point atwhich it leaves the spool moves along the length of the spool and in sodoing causes the sheave l9 to slide along the rod 20, thus allowing thewire to be withdrawn in a direction approximately perpendicular to theaxis of rotation of the spool. This tends to prevent lateral sliding ofthe turns of wire on the supply spool ll and any tangling which mightbreak the wire. As the sheave l9 moves back and .forth, the wire slidesalong the roller 22 and causes the sheave 25 to slide along the rod 2%.

Friction resulting from the large surfac contact between the roller 22and the rod 24 tends,

to retard the rotation of roller 22 as the wire !8 passes thereover,thus exerting a drag on the wire being withdrawn from the supply spool.Because of the adjacent positions of the sheave l8 and the roller 22,the wire follows a tortuous course from the supply reel II to the sheave25, thereby increasing the tension on the wire. This increase over thenormal tension on the wire l8 tends to dampen the movement of thetension arm 28, and thereby prevents sudden applications and releases ofthe brake on the arbor Hi. This eliminates sudden changes in tensioncaused by long and rapid movements or the tension arm 28, which mightcause breakage of the wire.

The discs 29-29 retard passage of the wire therebetween and thus tend tocreate a uniform tension on the wire l8 and to prevent any suddenfluctuations which may occur in the tension of the wire between thesupply spool H and the discs 2929 from being transmitted beyond thediscs.

From the foregoing description, it will be apparent that the apparatusembodying this invention will prevent sudden tension variations instrands being withdrawn from a strand supply, which might result inbreakage and a non-uniform product. When applied to a tinsel rollingmachine, this invention permits a saving in time and material and animprovement in the quality of the rolled tinsel.

It will be understood that the embodiment of the invention disclosedherein is merely illustrative and that changes and modifications may bemade therein without departing from the spirit and scope of theinvention.

What is claimed is:

l. A strand tensioning device for a strand supplying apparatus having astrand supply and an automatic strand tension controlling means actuatedby a tension arm to regulate the rate of withdrawal of a strand from thestrand supply, which device comprises a slidable sheave around which thestrand is drawn directly from the strand supply, and an elongated rollercontacting the strand and coacting with the slidable sheave to cause thestrand to advance under a uniform tension.

2. A strand tensioning device for a strand supplying apparatus having astrand supply and an automatic strand tension controlling means actuatedby a tension arm to regulate the rate of withdrawal of a strand from thestrand supply, which device comprises a sheave to guide the strand fromthe supply," a roller positioned adjacent to and in an offset relationto the sheave and which the strand contacts as it passes from thesheave, thereby causing the strand to follow a tortuous course and to bewithdrawn under a uniform tension from the strand supply, and a pair ofspring-pressed elements exerting a braking pressure on a strand passingtherebetween.

3. A strand tensioning device for a strand supplying apparatus having astrand supply and an automatic strand tension controlling means actuatedby a tension arm to regulate the rate of withdrawal of a strand from thestrand supply, which device comprises a slidable sheave to guide astrand withdrawn from the supply substantially perpendicularly to the,axis of rotation of the strand supply, an elongated roller around whichthe strand passes for causing the strand to advance under a uniformtension to the tension arm, and a plurality of spring-pressed discsbetween which the strand advances for imparting tension to the strand.

4. A strand tensioningdevice for a strand supplying apparatus having astrand supply and an automatic strand tension controlling means actuatedby a tension arm to regulate the rate of withdrawal of a strand from thestrand supply, which device comprises a slidable sheavearound automaticstrand tension controlling means actuated by a tension arm to regulatethe rate of withdrawal of a strand from the strand supply,

which device comprises a slidable sheave to guide the strandsubstantially perpendicularly to the axis of rotation of the strandsupply as the strand is withdrawn from the supply, an elongated rolleradjacent to the sheave in contact with the strand which causes thestrand to be under a uniform tension as it is advanced from the rollerto the tension arm, and a pair of spring-pressed discs for imparting atension to a strand between.

6. A strand tensioning device for a strand supplying apparatus having astrand supply and an automatic strand tension-controlling means actuatedby a tension arm to regulate the rate of withdrawal of a strand from thestrand supply, which device comprises a slidable sheave adjacent to thestrand supply to guide the strand withdrawn from the supply in adirection substantially perpendicular to the axis of rotation of thestrand supply, and an elongated roller positioned near the sheave aroundwhich the strand passes from the sheave and along which the strand mayslide as the sliding sheave guides the strand laterally to the directionitis fed, the sheave and the roller coacting to cause the strand to beadvanced under a uniform tension to the tension arm.

7. A strand tensioning device for a strand supplying apparatus having astrand supply and an automatic strand tension controlling means actuatedby a tension arm to regulate the'rate of withdrawal of a strand from thestrand supply, which device comprises a slidable sheave adjacent to thestrand supply to guide the strand passing therewithdrawn from the supplyin a direction substantially perpendicular to the axis of rotation' ofthe strand supply, an elongated roller positioned near the sheave aroundwhich the strand passes from the sheave to the tension arm and alongwhich the strand may slide as the slidingv sheave guidesthe strandlaterally to the direction it is fed, and spring-pressed discs betweenwhich the strand is advanced to further add o the uniformity of thetension on the wire ads automatic strand tension controlling meansactuated by a tension arm to regulate the rate of withdrawal of a strandfrom. the strand supply,

which comprises a slidable sheavepositioned near the strand supply andover which the strand passes, and an elongated roller member positionedadjacent to and in an offset relation to the sheave and around which thestrand passes,.

thus forming a tortuous course for the strand advancing to the tensionparting tension to the strand.

arm and thereby im-.

WILHELM A. HEGERLV

